Compendium and reference work with formulas, facts and background information
This book covers everything that makes astronomy so fascinating, from the physics of light to the formation and evolution of stars and cosmology. It ranges from the solar system to observation instruments, from orbit determination and astrophotography to your own observations and photometry of variable stars. There is even a chapter dedicated to gravitational wave astronomy.
The incredible possibilities offered by digital cameras and electronic image processing, as well as the availability of professional methods for photometry and spectroscopy, allow even laymen to participate in modern research. The book is aimed at all star enthusiasts who want to observe the starry sky systematically and with scientific meticulousness. Numerous exercises enable the dedicated thirsty for knowledge to test their knowledge.
The work covers astronomy and astrophysics in an understandable form without compromising scientific standards. However, the mathematics required should not deter less experienced readers. For this reason, the mathematical formalism used to illustrate connections is visualised in this book with numerous illustrations and tables and brought to life with examples.
This standard work of German astronomical literature introduces readers to scientific practice through numerous practical examples. It is not only a book to read, but above all a book to participate in.
The author Dr. Erik Wischnewski was born in Hamburg in 1952. He studied physics, mathematics and astronomy at Hamburg University and obtained his doctorate in Graz. Today he works as a freelancer. Erik Wischnewski has been practising astronomy at a high level for decades. He has also made a name for himself in the field of knowledge transfer. The minor planet 227770 Wischnewski was named in his honour.
